Family Food Creation and Learning
2025-02-10 • No comments • • Coupar Angus, Meigle & Alyth
Pupils from each year group will learn to cook a meal, such as a main meal and pudding using healthy food choices and budget ingredients. They will plan, prepare and cook within school and take a meal home. The project would last for 10 weeks allowing each class to participate in 3 sessions (Burrelton P.S. has 3 mixed year classes), they will also bring in a parent and/or guardian during their last session to join in the learning, cooking and fun. The classes will be facilitated by an outside worker and school support staff. The aim of the project is to give life skills to pupils to prepare easy home cooked meals from scratch to share with their family on a set budget. Pupils will also learn about nutrition, healthy eating and family food budgeting as part of the project sessions. We hope to use some of the school grown garden vegetables as part of the sessions with support from Burrelton in Bloom.
School Uniform Bank - Back to School & Nursery (Rattray)
2025-02-07 • No comments • • Rattray
2025 will be our fourth year running our Back to School Pack. In 2021 we provided 152 packs, in 2022 - 340, in 2023 - 400, and in 2024 we provided 512 Back to School Packs and 91 Back to Nursery Packs (our first year running this service). Our Packs are available to anyone who lives in these wards.
What is in a Back to School Pack?
Our packs include 3 shirts, 2 bottoms, 2 jumpers/cardis, 2 PE t shirts, 2 PE bottoms, a PE jumper and a school bag. We also aim to include school shoes and/or trainers plus stationary and other back to school essentials like pack lunch boxes or pencil cases. Everything a child needs for taking part in their school journey.
What is in a Back to Nursery Pack?
Our Back to Nursery packs include 5 days of mix and match outfits; 5 jumpers, 5 t-shirts, 5 bottoms, messy play clothing, a seasonal jacket and footwear. We also add in extras such as sun hats, vests and socks as we know children need these items to fully participate in their learning and no one comes home clean after one day in nursery!
Packs are personalised to each schools colours and the child’s style preferences (so you can tell us if they won’t wear shorts, or will only wear cardigans!) and their sensory needs to make sure the packs are made to suit the individual. We also ask for bag colours and characters and try our hardest to match up to their personal style. We believe our service should make the child feel confident and comfortable that they match their peers.
SO IF YOU THINK THAT...
- All children should have access to high quality school uniform?
- We should protect our environment and make positive pre-loved clothing choices?
- By making little changes to our own lifestyle to support others we can make big changes for the future of our children?
Then please support us by voting for our Back to School & Nursery Pack project. Thank you.
Team Social Flock
SUFC -Helping overweight men with poor mental health & reducing social isolation
2025-02-07 • 4 comments • • South Crieff
Strathearn United Football Club request funding to allow those people living on low incomes with low self-esteem and social issues to enjoy our activities and improve their health and quality of life. The key to the club is making friends, improving health and building confidence.
We will be the only club in Perthshire to be in the Scottish Warriors League, who are supporting many males overcome anxiety, mental health issues, social isolation and prevent suicides.
Our volunteer coaches are qualified in football, mental health, exercise and nutrition. We also have a welfare officer as well as a club chaplain who is available for confidential chats when needed.
We seek funding of £2,930 to cover the cost of allowing up to 15 people who wish to attend but are unable to due to financial hardship. We request funding to cover the session fees, sports kit and transport costs.
However, the best way to understand what a difference our club can make is to watch the video from a similar Warrior club to ours, Denny Warriors. Watch Gary from Denny talk to former England international Ashley Cole about how football saved his life.
Your vote just might save someone's life!
CAYAG Adventure Seekers
2025-02-06 • 1 comment • • Coupar Angus, Meigle & Alyth
The CAYAG Adventure Seekers project aims to get more young people outdoors and being active. There is evidence that suggests young people being outdoors can improve their physical and mental wellbeing, support social skills and academic performance. Spending time outdoors can reduce feelings of stress and anger, and boost self-confidence and self-esteem by allowing young people to take risks in a safe space. In Coupar Angus and surrounding areas we are very lucky as there are so many great spaces we can explore and utilise.
We would start the project in May and end in October with every second Saturday having a different activity on offer. Each activity will be facilitated by skilled staff, which CAYAG staff and volunteers will support. Activities will include, adventure tubing, archery, gorge walking, mountaineering, paddle sports, clip n climb, mini highland games and more! We would be tailoring the activities to the young people's needs and abilities and set the programme with their input. There would also be the opportunity to gain awards and certificates in paddle sports, mountaineering, map reading etc. We would end the project with a residential to celebrate everyones achievements and also to deliver training oppotunities in outdoor first aid and Dynamic Youth Awards.
All activities would be open to the young people of Coupar Angus and surrounding areas, whether they are a member of CAYAG or not and will be free of charge. We are looking to boost engagement with the young people in the town and hope this project will encourage more young people to attend CAYAG. There would be free refreshments offered at each session with lunches provided for full day activities. Transport will also be available at no extra cost to the participant.
We will be working in partnership with local businesses, youth work partners and youth scotland to create a varied programme with something for everyone.
Coupar Angus PS Toast For All
2025-02-07 • No comments • • Coupar Angus, Meigle & Alyth
Coupar Angus PS Parent Council would love the opportunity to provide each pupil with a piece of toast when they come into school in the morning. Research has shown that eating breakfast is important for everyone, but especially for children. In general, kids who skip breakfast will feel tired, restless and irritable. Eating a healthy breakfast has been shown to help attention span, concentration and memory - all very important for learning.
Senior pupils carried out a breakfast survey, the majority of pupils surveyed said they do have breakfast most days, however 6% said they don’t have breakfast before school. Pupils said when they don’t have breakfast in the morning they come into school feeling hungry, tired, unhappy, sad & angry. 86% of pupils surveyed said they would like to be offered toast when they first come into school.
P7 teacher Mrs Gourlay believes offering each child something to eat in the morning will improve learning & behaviour within the classroom.
Around 20% of pupils at Coupar Angus PS are classed as living within relative poverty – we want to do anything we can to help these pupils by offering warm toast as they come into school. Giving every child the best start in life is the first of five strategic priorities adopted by Perth & Kinross Council and we believe providing breakfast will give them a good start to their day.
Coupar Angus PS currently runs a breakfast club from 8am however this is chargeable at £2 per day which could potentially exclude some families. Toast For All will be free for every pupil.
We plan to run Toast For All initially on a Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday and if it’s as big as a success as we think it will be we hope to roll it out to 5 days per week. We plan to start on the first day of term after the Easter holidays on Wednesday 23rd April and run until the Easter holidays in 2026. The teachers will monitor improvements in learning/behaviour and we will do more surveys with the children to gauge their opinions on the project.
A rota will be drawn up for each week and a teacher/volunteer will arrive at 8.45am and prepare the toast. It will be put on lidded trays to keep it warm and senior pupils will take it around all classes at 9.05am and offer it to every pupil.
We believe every child should have something warm to fill their tummy in the mornings and we hope this will improve behaviour, attention spans and willingness to learn.
Rattray Kids Party Time
2025-02-06 • No comments • • Rattray
Addressing the cost of living Rattray primary children will have the opportunity to have a fun filled afternoon with laughter and joy and bring about memories. This project combats poverty and alleviates the cost of living pressures on parents who are unable to afford additional costs outwith the normal weekly living expenses. This is not about education, keeping fit and active, learning a new skills or achievement - it is a simple approach to providing a little extra excitement and fun in a world where the challenges against the cost of living crisis can be overhwelming for many parents. The party events can be spread over a period of time ensuring that Rattray Primary School children can share fun with their school friends in an environment where they will feel safe with no stigma. This project aligns with the Perth & Kinross Community Action Plan 'for everyone to live well, free from poverty and inequality'.
Access to Adventure
2025-02-07 • No comments • • Rattray
The Access to Adventure Project will provide financial support for the pupils of Rattray Primary School and Nursery to take part in learning outside of the classroom. The funding would cover the costs of transport and entry fees to venues for children from low-income families to ensure that financial hardship does not prevent any child from participating in school trips.
A significant proportion of children attending Rattray Primary School live within SIMD quintiles 1 (36%) & 2 (5%) and 35% of pupils are entitled to free school meals. Under the Acorn measure of poverty in rural areas, 48% of Rattray pupils fall into the categories Acorn 5 and 6 which are the most deprived rural communities. A large proportion (36%) of families have multiple children attending the school and 41% of Rattray pupils have additional support needs, putting further financial pressure on parents/carers.
In this rural community, with limited transport options and with the rising cost of living, a school trip may be the only outing a child experiences out with Blairgowrie.
In previous years, the school and the Parent Council have provided subsidies to reduce cost to families. However, due to increasing levels of need and increased costs, this is unsustainable and there is a very real risk that school excursions may be limited.
The head teacher, staff and children recognise the importance of these wider experiences. The Scottish Government notes the value of learning out with the classroom and wants all children and young people to have positive learning experiences in a variety of settings (See attached document).
These experiences can enhance academic learning, whether it be visiting a historic castle, local museums, farms, or places of cultural significance, and give context to classroom learning. Often, the children gain first-hand experiences that cannot be replicated in school. This helps develop engagement and interest in subjects that may help shape their future choices.
Trips away from school also develop personal growth allowing children to develop a sense of independence, perhaps experiencing life out with their comfort zone. They develop skills, responsibility and confidence that helps them try new things, explore new environments and look after themselves. Children can develop a sense of adventure, and these fabulous types of experiences can encourage communication with teachers, families and peers.
As a Parent Council we feel it is important to be inclusive and equitable for all the children and families in the school to avoid the stigma and/or embarrassment of having to ask for help. Therefore, the funding would not only be beneficial to those on low incomes but for every child, every family, so that all pupils are included.
School trips can be great fun for children and staff alike and provide lasting memories. I’m sure everyone who has kindly taken the time to read this proposal can remember their own school trips and what it meant to them growing up. We sincerely hope we can continue to support the school in being able to provide these valuable opportunities. (See attached documents for staff and pupil comments on school trips).